Bust or breast pad construction



Feb. 12, 1963 J. GARFINKEL 3,077,197

BUST OR BREAST PAD CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 19, 1959 INVENIOR. Ju has Gar/Luke! Mun/7, Li ddy, Danie/s Y Marci 3,077,197 BUST R BREAST PAD CQNSTRUCTIGN .lnlius Gartiuhel, Brooklyn, N.Y., assignor to Storm & Seheinberg, Inc New York, NIL, a corporation of New York Filed Nov. 19, 1959, Ser. No. 854,040 3 Claims. (Cl. 128-479) This invention relates to bust or breast pads, and more particularly to individual breast pad structures of the type adapted to be attached to and supported by undergarments or the like which are being worn.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved self-supporting or formed, natural-appearing breast pad structure which may be easily and quickly attached to and removed from undergarments or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a unique pro-formed cup-like, hollow breast pad construction which is soft and yieldable yet especially arranged or constructed to be self-supporting and to resist collapse or deformation to an appreciable degree.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel breast pad construction and supporting means therefor,

by which the pad construction may be easily attached to a garment being worn, in an unobstructive yet simple manner.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved breast pad construction in accordance with the foregoing, which is especially sanitary, and which may be easily cleaned and/ or laundered as required.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved breast pad construction which is natural-like in shape and texture, and when worn normally provides a natural appearance unlike that of a separate device or attachment.

A feature of the invention resides in the provision of an improved breast pad construction as above characterized, which is extremely simple, involves relatively few components or pieces, and is economical to fabricate and produce.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings accompanying this specification similar characters or" reference have been applied to like components and portions throughout the several views in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the improved breast pad construction as provided by the invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view, taken on the line Z--2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of two of the present improved breast pads, supported on the bust portion of an undergarment.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary front elevational view of one edge portion of the breast pad, showing a fastening tab in open condition.

Referring first to FIG. 3 there is illustrated an undergarment ll which may, for example, be of the type commonly termed a slip," said undergarment having supporting shoulder portions 12 and a front or bust portion 1 and being of any usual or conventional construction.

In accordance with the present invention, the novel breast pad structures 18 as provided herein are shown as releasibly secured to the bust portion 14 of the slip 10. As seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, each breast pad comprises a unitary or one-piece, cup-like shallow self-supporting member 21% which is generally of conical configuration, having a substantial thickness as seen in FIG. 2 throughout most of its expanse. The cup-like member 2i} is constituted of a soft and yieldable, resilient cellular structure, and may be advantageously formed of sponge rubber BENIN? Patented Feb. 12, 1963 ire or sponge plastic having a special formulation to provide a soft and yieldable construction.

As seen in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, the cup-like member 20 has a curved periphery 22, and such periphery is preferably characterized by a reduced thickness as clearly indicated in FIG. 2.

In accordance with the present invention the unitary, one-piece, soft, self-supporting member 20 is provided With novel means by which it may be easily and quickly secured to a garment being worn, as for example an undergarment such as a slip, a supporting band, a bathing suit (at the inside thereof) or the like. This novel supporting means comprises a pair of thin and slender, short tabs 26, each of said tabs having means shown herein r as small safety pins 28 by which they may be releasibly secured to the bust portion of a garment which is being worn. The safety pins 23 may, for example, pass through flattened loops 30 provided by the tabs 26 as seen in FIG. 4, or may be secured to the tab in any other suitable manner.

By the present invention, the tabs 26 are removably attached to the unitary cup-like member 29 in a novel and simple manner, embracing the provision of a pair of through openings 32 provided in opposite peripheral portions of the member, through which openings the tabs 26 are passed as shown. The tabs .26 are preferably constituted of flexible, fabric ribbons, and the openings 32 are relatively small as compared with the width of the ribbons whereby the latter are somewhat folded or curled where they pass through the openings. How ever, the ribbon will have a relatively large area in engagement with the edges of the openings 32, thereby to minimize the likelihood of tearing of the cellular structure of the cup-like member, and also to provide a flat and inconspicuous assemblage at the fastening points.

Also, by the present invention the novel supporting means comprising the tabs 26 further include separable fastener elements 34, shown in the illustrated embodiment of the invention as snap fastener parts, by which the two portions of the tabs which are located on opposite sides of the cup-like member 20 may be secured together to retain the tabs in place against pull-out through the openings 32.

Also, in accordance with the present invention the cup-like member 20 comprises a resilient, integrally formed, molded article provided with a novel and advantageous configuration by which it is made more effective in supporting itself and resisting collapse. As seen in FIG. 2, the cup-like member 20 is provided with a preformed fold, permanent crease or bend 36 having a relatively large radius indicated at 38, the said fold, crease or bend being substantially in a medial area of the member, that is, along a generally central, diametric portion. Actually, however, as provided by the invention, the fold, crease or bend 36 is slightly displaced upwardly from an exact center line passing through the member 29, whereby the portion 20a of the member which is located below the fold 36 is slightly larger than the portion 20b of the member located above the fold. Also, the two openings 32 in the member 20 are preferably disposed at the fold 36, whereby these openings are also off-set slightly from an exact diametric center line through the member.

Further, in accordance with the invention, the member 20 has a relatively small radius, indicated at 40, extending along the inside of the fold 36 as compared with the larger outwardly disposed radius 38. Preferably a somewhat shallow groove 42 is provided along the inside of the member 2% at the fold 36 thereof, in which the radius 4-0 of relatively small dimension is disposed. The cuplike member 2% is also preferably preformed to have a partially collapsed shape, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,

wherein by .the periphery 22 of the member is somewhat elliptical. I have found that with such construction, when the breast pad is being properly worn and supported in place on the bust portion of a garment, it will tend to flatten or unfold an extent so that the periphery 22 becomes virtually circular, as illustrated in FIG. 3. The larger, lower portion 20a of the member 20, in conjunction with the smaller upper portion 2012, provides an advantageous support function whereby together with the preformed groove 42 the member resists collapse to an appreciable degree and instead assumes a shallow, cup like shape such as illustrated in FIG. 3. I attribute this to the preforming of the member 20 in a partially collapsed or folded shape as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, in conjunction with the pre-formed fold 36 and groove 42, the latter having the relatively small radius 40 whereas theouter surface of the fold has a larger radius 38. As seen in FIG. 2, the wall of the member 20 is of reduced thickness along the fold 36, by virtue of the provision of the smalliradius 4t and groove 42.

i The breast pad 18, by the provision of the novel supporting tabs 26, may be easily and quickly attached to and removed from an undergarment. When properly secured in place, the members 20 and the support tabs will present a well-rounded appearance and will resist collapse to a marked degree. The supporting means or tabs 26 have relatively small mass and size, and are unobtrusive generally.

Thebreast pads may be easily washed .or cleaned, by removing them from the garment, removing the supporting tabs 26 from the members 20 and cleaning the parts separately in the manner most suitable. Or, the assemblage of breast pad as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 may be cleaned without removing the tabs 26, since these do. not make appreciably more difficult the cleaning process.

I claim:

1. A breast pad comprising a cup-like shallow selfsupporting member ofconical configuration and substantial thickness throughout most of its expanse, said memher being of a soft and yieldableresilient cellular structure and having a curved periphery of reduced thickness, a pair of thin andslender relative short tabs, means for detachably connecting each of said pair of tabs to oppositely disposed peripheral portions of said cup-like member, means adapted for releasably securingveach of said tabs to a breast portion of a garment to be worn so that said cup-like member receives and supports therein the breast of a wearer, and said member being preformed and having a substantially medial fold of relatively large radius extending between oppositely disposed peripheral portions thereof, whereby the periphery of the member is roughly of elliptical configuration, the short tabs being detachably connected to the said cup-like member along thesubstantially medial fold.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which the member has a portion of relatively small radius at points along the inside of the fold ascompared with the radius at the outside of the fold, and has a groove in its inner surface, extending along the fold line and containing the said small-radius portion of the member.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 in which the member is of reduced thickness along the fold line,

4. A breast pad comprising:

a cup-like shallow self-supporting member of conical configuration and substantial thickness throughout most of its expanse and'formed of soft and yieldable, resilient cellular structure having a curved periphery of reduced thickness,

said cup-like member having a preformed fold extending between oppositely disposed peripheral portions thereof along a line slightly displaced upwardly from the line passing through the exact center of the cup-like member to resist collapse thereof,

ribbon tabs releasably connected on the preformed fold 1 to the oppositely disposed peripheral portions of said cup-like member,

and fastening means connected to said tabs adapted for releasably securing said tabs to a breast portion of a garment to be worn.

5. The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein:

each of said opposed peripheral portions of said cuplike member has an opening formed in and extending therethrough,

and one end of each ofisaid ribbon tabs passes through its respective opening to extend from one side of said member to the other,

the respective ends of said tabs being folded over onto intermediate portions of said tabs to form aloop therewith,

and complementary snap fastening means carried by said tabs for releasably connecting the portions of said tabs defining their respective loops.

6. The invention as defined in claim 5 wherein:

each of said ribbon tabs has a relatively large area engaged with the edges of its respective opening.

7. A breast pad comprising an integral, unitary preformed dartless cup-like shallow self-supporting member of substantially conical configuration and substantial thickness throughout most of its expanse, said member being of a soft and yieldable resilient cellular structure having a curved periphery of reduced thickness, a preformed permanent crease formed substantially medially of said member and having relatively large radius extendingbetween oppositely disposed peripheral portions thereof whereby the periphery of the member is roughly of elliptical configuration, said member having a portion of relatively small radius at points along the inside of said crease as compared with-the radius at the outside of said crease, and a groove formed in its inner surface extending along said crease and containing said small radius portion of the member.

8. The invention as defined in claim 7 wherein:

said member is of reduced thickness along said crease.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,884,243 Richards Oct. 25, 1932 2,489,591 Satfady NOV. 29, 1949 2,704,845 Gluckin Mar. 29, 1955 2,959,173 Douthit Nov. 8, 1960 

1. A BREAST PAD COMPRISING A CUP-LIKE SHALLOW SELFSUPPORTING MEMBER OF CONICAL CONFIGURATION AND SUBSTANTIAL THICKNESS THROUGHOUT MOST OF ITS EXPANSE, SAID MEMBER BEING OF A SOFT AND YIELDABLE RESILIENT CELLULAR STRUCTURE AND HAVING A CURVED PERIPHERY OF REDUCED THICKNESS, A PAIR OF THIN AND SLENDER RELATIVE SHORT TABS, MEANS FOR DETACHABLY CONNECTING EACH OF SAID PAIR OF TABS TO OPPOSITELY DISPOSED PERIPHERAL PORTIONS OF SAID CUP-LIKE MEMBER, MEANS ADAPTED FOR RELEASABLY SECURING EACH OF SAID TABS TO A BREAST PORTION OF A GARMENT TO BE WORN SO THAT SAID CUP-LIKE MEMBER RECEIVES AND SUPPORTS THEREIN THE BREAST OF A WEARER, AND SAID MEMBER BEING PREFORMED AND HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY MEDIAL FOLD OF RELATIVELY LARGE RADIUS EXTENDING BETWEEN OPPOSITELY DISPOSED PERIPHERAL PORTIONS THEREOF, WHEREBY THE PERIPHERY OF THE MEMBER IS ROUGHLY OF ELLIPTICAL CONFIGURATION, THE SHORT TABS BEING DETACHABLY CONNECTED TO THE SAID CUP-LIKE MEMBER ALONG THE SUBSTANTIALLY MEDIAL FOLD. 